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Updated March 22, 2024·
If you need a laptop mainly for gaming or resource-heavy tasks, the Dell Alienware will offer superior performance but at a higher cost and with less portability. The Lenovo ThinkPad, while more affordable and easier to carry around, will serve you better in professional environments where durability and battery life are key, but it won't handle high-end gaming or demanding software as effectively as the Alienware. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell Alienware X17 R2
- Excellent for engineering and design
- Very good for gaming and AI
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
- Very good for software development
- Very good portability
- Good battery life
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.9
6.7
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is only fair.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 comes with a more powerful GPU and a higher screen refresh rate, which significantly enhances gaming and 3D performance, providing smoother visuals and more detailed graphics. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while having a decent CPU and screen quality, falls short for gaming and 3D tasks due to a less capable GPU and lower refresh rate, making it less suitable for those particular demand.
Engineering and Design
9.1
8.0
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
9.3/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 is excellent for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its high-end CPU, large RAM, and robust GPU, handles intensive tasks and demanding software smoothly, while its superior screen quality offers crisp and detailed visuals which are crucial for engineering and design work. Although the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is portable and has a quality keyboard, it may not match the Alienware's raw performance or screen fidelity for highly detailed engineering projects.
Software Development
7.8
8.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for software development, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
8.5
6.9
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
480Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
367.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen for content creation.
Considering general use, the Dell Alienware X17 R2's display provides excellent clarity and vivid colors, making it suitable for everyday tasks and multimedia consumption, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers a decent visual experience with good brightness and resolution for typical office applications. For engineering and design work, the Alienware's screen covers a broad range of colors, ensuring that designers see accurate hues and shades, whereas the ThinkPad, with good color coverage, offers satisfactory but not top-tier performance for professionals. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the Alienware's lower refresh rate results in less fluid motion, while the ThinkPad, not designed for these uses, also falls short, as neither are optimal where high refresh rates are crucial for smooth gameplay and rendering.
Battery
2.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has 2 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has 9 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Fair
Very Good
17.3in
SIZE
14.0in
6.8 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good portability, while the Dell Alienware X17 R2 has only fair portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$2,000
$1,241
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 has a price of $2,000 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.2
8.5
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
367.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
2.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
6.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and Dell Alienware X17 R2 are both very good for general use.
The Dell Alienware X17 R2, with its powerful CPU and ample RAM, ensures smooth performance and high-quality visuals, making it suitable for demanding tasks and gaming, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life which might not suit frequent travelers. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 offers a balance with good performance, a comfortable keyboard, longer battery life, and easier portability, making it a better option for those prioritizing mobility and all-day usage over gaming-grade power.
Content Creation
8.3
8.3
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 are both very good for content creation.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Dell Alienware X17 R2 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Dell Alienware X17 R2 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Dell Alienware X17 R2 | Lenovo ThinkPad T14 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$2,000 | $1,241 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2021 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.8'' x 0.82'' | 12.5'' x 8.9'' x 0.7'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.82 lbs | 2.96 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.72" | 12.51" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.79" | 8.93" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | AMD Ryzen 7 7840U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 2 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 87 Wh | 39.3 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 14" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 480Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 367 nits | 321 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.1/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1440p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Dell Alienware X17 R2
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | May 2022
"The Alienware x17 R2 recognizes targets a significantly higher TGP of 175 W for a roughly 30 percent performance boost over laptops running on the ~100 W GeForce RTX 3080 Ti like the Razer Blade 15 or Gigabyte Aero YE5. Similar results can be found through the CPU as well. This single aspect of the Alienware is perhaps the biggest differentiating factor between it and other ultrathin gaming laptops. Of course, the "performance at all cost" approach comes with drawbacks. Power consumption in particular is through the roof and battery life suffers because of it even when on the lowest performance settings."
Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Benjamin Herzig | December 2023
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the Dell Alienware X17 R2 or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
About Dell
Dell is a highly recognizable American technology company, and is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. Their laptops are very popular for both personal and professional use, and they also own the Alienware brand which makes mid to high end gaming laptops. Their premium XPS range of laptops offer great build quality and portability, while Latitude and Precision laptops are known for reliability, repairability and performance for business users.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
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